Letter to the Editor: Racial profiling is a court system problem

It is interesting how Steven Mickelson can write in his letter that he is confident that the majority of African-Americans imprisoned in Iowa deserve to serve mandatory minimum prison sentences vs. other races ("Parrish Is Wrong about Prison Disparity," Feb. 17). He made the assertion without any research supporting his opinion as to why they make up 24.5 percent of Iowa's prison population.

My suggestion is for Mickelson to visit the juvenile courtrooms in Polk County where he would see more African-American juveniles pushed up to adult court than Euro-Americans accused of the same crimes. Polk County is gaining a poor reputation for ignoring research concerning the development of formative thinking skills in juveniles. This research is a major reason that juvenile court was set up in the first place.

Why does Polk County want to give its young people a criminal record over minor crimes that create serious obstacles for them in the future? If you do not think that racial profiling is a problem in Iowa, then you have not talked to minority youth.

- Julie Stewart Ziesman, Waukee

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Letter to the Editor: Racial profiling is a court system problem

It is interesting how Steven Mickelson can write in his letter that he is confident that the majority of African-Americans imprisoned in Iowa deserve to serve mandatory minimum prison sentences vs.